Latent oxyalkylation catalysts

ABSTRACT

New compounds of the general formula   and the known compound   wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkyl or haloalkyl of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, are useful as new latent catalysts in the oxyalkylation reaction between a vicinal alkylene oxide and a hydroxy-containing organic compound.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,910,878

McAda Oct. 7, 1975 1 LATENT OXYALKYLATION CATALYSTS Primary Examiner lohnnie R. Brown [75] inventor, Robert William McAda, Lake Artorney, Agent, or Firm-L. Wayne White; David H.

Jackson, Tex. F'field [73] Assignee: The Dow Cliemical Company, 57 ABSTRACT Mldland Mlch' New compounds of the general formula [22] Filed: Mar. 25, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 128,127 R,0 R,O

Related U.S. Application Data R OP=O:BF;, Or R OP:Bl- [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 759,235, Sept. ll, R30

1968, Pat. No. 3,597,502.

[52] U.S. Cl 260/209 R; 260/231; 260/233.3;

260/611 B; 260/612 R; 260/612 D; and the know 260/613 B; 260/615 B; 260/922; 260/212 51 1m. 01. c0711 15/04 R [58] Field of Search 260/209 R, 615 B, 611, I 260/612, 613, 233.3

3 [56] References Cited (In) UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,165,508 l/1965 Otey et al. 260/209 R wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, -l--- 5 alkyl or haloalkyl of l to about 8 carbon atoms, are erten eta l 3,350,389 10/1967 Patton, Jr. et al. 260/209 R usifu J latempgtallystlskull the i' g fi 3,372,201 3/1968 Leary et a1. 260/615 B ac i a l a yene 6 a 3,402,169 9/1968 Jackson 260/209 R dmxy'comammg organ: compound- 10 Claims, No Drawings LATENT OXYALKYLATION CATALYSTS C ROSS-REFERENC E TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application bearing the same title, Ser. No. 759,235, filed Sept. 11, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,502.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

In the oxyalkylation reaction between a vicinal alkylene oxide and an organic hydroxy-containing compound it is' common to use a catalyst to obtain the advantage of higher reaction rates at lower temperatures.

BF and BF -,-etherate are well-known catalysts in such an oxyalkylation reaction. The inherent problems of temperature control and product discoloration resulting from the use of BF or BF 'etherate as catalyst in the oxyalkylation reaction are also well-known.

Summary of the Invention:

It has now been discovered that new compounds of the general formula and the compound (Ill) wherein R R: and R are each aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkyl or haloalkyl of l to about 8 carbon atoms, are useful as new latent catalysts in the oxyalkylation reaction between a vicinal alkylene oxide and a hydroxycontaining organic compound.

The inventive compounds are surprisingly unreactive toward vicinal alkylene oxides, hydroxy-containing organic compounds, and mixtures of vicinal alkylene oxides and hydroxy-containing organic compounds at temperatures below about 120C. However, at temperatures above about lC., the inventive compounds are effective catalysts in the oxyalkylation reaction between the above mentioned oxides and hydroxy- Containing compounds. Said oxyalkylation reaction proceeds smoothly and without any violent exotherm in the presence of the novel catalysts. Thus, the previously mentioned problems of temperature control are substantially reduced.

Advantageously, the inventive compounds'are mixed with at least one of the reactants in said oxyalkylation process prior to reaction and at a convenient temperature below about 120C. This procedure insures a substantially even distribution of the catalyst throughout the reaction mixture and thus results in a more uniform product.

The inventive compounds are particularly valuable in catalyzing the oxyalkylation reaction between an alkylene oxide and a solid hydroxy-containing compound. The inventive compounds are most generally stable, low-viscosity liquids and therefore are'easily' blended into such solid hydroxy-containing compounds by simply stirring the catalyst and solid hydroxy-containing compound together, or the solid compound can be suspended in the liquid alkylene oxide or an inert solvent, and the catalyst then evenly blended into the mixture with stirring.

Mixing a catalytic amount of the inventive compounds with at least one of the oxyalkylation reactants at a temperature below about C. is a process improvement in the oxyalkylation reaction between a vicinal alkylene oxide and a hydroxy-containing organic compound,

The compounds of the invention are conveniently prepared by reacting by contacting a compound of the formula (I) (ll) (lll) wherein R R and R are each aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkyl or haloalkyl of l to about 8 carbon atoms, with either BF or BFyetherate at a temperature of between about 0C. and about 120C. This is conveniently done in either of two general procedures: (a) by bubbling gaseous BF into the liquid phosphorus-containing compound or (b) by mixing substantially equimolar quantities of BF 'etherate with the phosphoruscontaining compound. If desired, the ether by-product resulting from the latter procedure may be removed by heating the mixture under reduced pressure.

It is desirable that no free BE; or BF -etherate be present in the product of the above reactions. Accordingly, at least equimolar quantities of the phosphoruscontaining compound and SP or BF -,'etherate are suitable in the above reactions and a molar excess of the phosphorus-containing component is preferred.

Examples of suitable phosphorus-containing compounds include: diethyl ethylphosphonate, dibutyl butylphosphonate; trimethyl-, triethyl-, tributyl-, trihexyl-, tris(2-chloroethyl)-, tricresyl-, triisooctyl-, triisopropyl-, triphenyl-, dimethyl ethyl-, dipropyl hexyl-phosphite; tri-n-butyl-phosphine, triphenylphosphine, and other like compounds.

The oxyalkylation reactants, other than the inventive catalysts are well-known. For example, suitable vicinal alkylene oxides include ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, epichlorohydrin, other like compounds and mixtures thereof.

The suitable hydroxy-containing organic compounds include the aliphatic and cycloaliphatic alcohols, glycols, polyols, phenols, carbohydrates, and other hydroxy-containing compounds. Examples include ethanol, butanol, n-octanol, 3-methyl-2-butanol, isopropanol, 5-propyl-3-hexanol, 2-chloroethanol, cyclohexanol, sorbitol, starch, cellulose, pentaerythritol and the class of compounds known as the saccharides, i.e. glucose, sucrose, lactose, etc., phenol, resorcinol, mcresol, hydroquinone, p-chlorophenol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, hexanetriol, alkanolamines, trimethylene glycol, pinacol, and other like hydroxycontaining compounds. Preferred species in this class of hydroxy-containing compounds are those wherein the hydroxyl is primary or secondary, and most preferably is secondary.

The oxyalkylation reaction conditions of temperature, pressure and ratio of reactants are likewise wellknown. Specific Embodiments:

The following examples further illustrate the invention:

EXAMPLE 1 Catalyst Preparation-(CH O);,P:BF

To a vessel, which was in an ice-bath and had been purged with nitrogen, was charged 2.84 g. of BF etherate. Then, 2.48 g. of trimethyl phosphite was added dropwise with stirring. After the addition was complete, the reaction mixture was removed from the bath and allowed to warm to about room temperature. A mild exotherm was observed which raised the temperature to about 40C. during about a 30 min. interval. After the exotherm had subsided, the ethyl ether was removed under reduced pressure. There was recovered 3.85 g. of a straw-colored liquid product having the following analysis:

Actual Theory 7! P l 6.7 l6. l "/1 B 5.5 5 .64

Using substantially the procedure and molar ratio of reactants described in the example above, except the It was found. by preparing catalysts l. 2 and 3 according to both procedures above. that the catalyst composition is substantially the same whether the reaction temperature is about ()-5()C. or about 1()()-l 10C. Accordingly. the compounds can be prepared at any convenient temperature between about 0l2()C.

EXAMPLE 2 Reaction Between Sucrose and Epichlorohydrin The following tabulated results are based on experiments wherein 0.025 moles of the phosphoruscontaining compound were mixed with 0.006 moles of BF -etherate and the mixture was then heated to l00l 10C. to insure complete reaction and drive off the ethyl ether. Run No. 6 differed from the above in that 0.030 moles of phosphorus-containing compound were used. In each experiment, the resulting catalytic complex was added at room temperature to 2.54 moles of epichlorohydrin (Epi), mixed, and allowed to stand for 15 min. Any rise in temperature during this time interval was recorded. Then 0.20 moles of sucrose was mixed in without any observable reaction. The reaction vessel was sealed and placed in a rotating steam autoclave at 130C. for 16 hrs. After cooling, any volatile material remaining in the reaction mixture was removed under reduced pressure, and the residue weighed. in each case a brown viscous liquid was recovered and no trace of unreacted sucrose was present. The oxyalkylation reaction products were analyzed and the results reported as the number of moles of Epi per mole of sucrose. The catalyst for Run No. 9 was the BF -etherate alone without the complexing phosphorous compound, See Table l for results.

TABLE I Epi Reactcd.

Final Mols per Temp. Rise Recovered Mol of Run No. Phosphorus Compound (g) (C.) Product(g.) Sucrose l 'l'ris(chloroethyl) Phosphite 6.6 l 232 8.6 2 'l'rimcthyl Phosphitc 3.] Z 231 8.7 3 Trihutyl Phosphite 6.25 (l 174 5.4 4 Triisopropyl Phosphite 5.2 (l 186 6.1 5 Tributyl Phosphine 5.1 0 280 l 1.8 6 Triphcnyl Phosphinc 7.8 1 216 7.6 7 Dihutyl butylphosphonate 6.25 l 192 6.4 X Diethyl ethylphnsphonnte 4.15 0 192 6.5 9 None control 80 Similar results are obtained by using the remaining catalysts. prepared in Example I. in the procedure of Example Product Analysis in a similar procedure, except that the reaction mixture was heated in a bath at about l()()-l 10C. for min. to insure complete reaction and to drive off the ethyl ether. the following catalysts were prepared:

Es a? EXAMPLE 3 Reaction Between Sucrose and Other Epoxides Using substantially the procedure and molar ratio of reactants of Example 2, sucrose was reacted with (a) phenyl glycidyl ether and (b) propylene oxide in the presence of the catalyst (ClCH CH O) P:BF In each instance a light brown viscous liquid was obtained. The catalyst was prepared by the procedure of Example 2.

EXAMPLE 4 Reaction Between Pentaerythritol and Epichlorohydrin Pentaerythritol (5 mols) was mixed with Epi (2.3 mols) in the presence of the catalyst (CICH- CH OMP: BF The reaction mixture was heated for 18 hours at about C. under autogenous pressure. The mixture was then cooled and volatiles removed under reduced pressure. The product was a light yellow viscous liquid. The catalyst was prepared by the procedure of Example 2.

The inventive compounds are therefore seen to be effective latent catalysts in the oxyalkylation reaction between vicinal alkylene oxides and organic hydroxycontaining compounds.

I claim:

I. A composition of matter comprising, at temperatures below about. 120C:

a. a vicinal alkylene oxide; 7

b. a hydroxy-containing organic compound; and

c. at least one compound having the formula R R and R,, are each independently aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl. alkyl, chloroalkyl or bromoalkyl of from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, in amount sufficient to catalyze the oxyalkylation reaction between (a) and (b) at temperatures above about 120C.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein (c) has the formula wherein R have the aforesaid meaning.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said hydroxycontaining organic compound is at least one of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, glycerol, a saccharide, starch or pentaerythritol.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein said hydroxycontaining organic compound is at least one of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or butylene glycol.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein each of R R and R is methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said catalyst has the formula wherein Il -R have the aforesaid meaning.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is at least one alkylene oxide of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and wherein said hydroxy-containing organic compound is a saccharide.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is propylene oxide and wherein said saccharide is sucrose.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein one or more of the hydroxyl groups of said hydroxy-containing compound is a secondary hydroxyl group.

10. the composition of claim 1 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is at least one of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, phenyl glycidyl ether or epichlorohydrin.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3, 910,878

DATED 1 October 7, 1975 |NVENTOR(5) 1 Robert William McAda It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 5, "Specific Embodiments" should be at left margin as a title;

Column 4, line 12, "phosphoruscontaining" should read -phosphorus-containing--;

Column 5, line 21, before "R insert wherein- Column 5, line 35, R should read R -R Column 6, line 31, "the" should read -The--.

Signed and Sealed this Thirty-first Day-of August 1976 A nest:

RUTH C. MASON I C. MARSHALL DANN A Nesting Officer Commissioner of Parents vand Trademarks UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CETIFICATE 0F (IQRRECTION PATENT NO. I 3,910,878

DATED 3 October 7, 1975 lNVENTOR(5) 3 Robert William McAda It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 5, "Specific Embodiments" should be at left margin as a title;

Column 4, line 12, "phosphoruscontaining" should read phosphorus-containing--;

Column 5, line 21, before "R insert -wherein-;

Column 5, line 35, should read R R I Column 6, line 31, "the" should read --The.

Signed and Scaled this Thirty-first Day of August 1976 [SEAL] A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Alrtsling Offic (ummisxiuner oj'Patents and Trademarks 

1. A COMPOSITION OF MATTER COMPRISING, AT TEMPERATURES BELOW ABOUT, 120*C.. A. A VICINAL ALKYLENE OXIDE, B. AT LEAST ONE COMPOUND ORGANIC COMPOUND, AND C. AT LEAST ONE COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA
 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein (c) has the formula
 3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said hydroxy-containing organic compound is at least one of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, glycerol, a saccharide, starch or pentaerythritol.
 4. The composition of claim 3 wherein said hydroxy-containing organic compound is at least one of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or butylene glycol.
 5. The composition of claim 1 wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 is methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl.
 6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said catalyst has the formula
 7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is at least one alkylene oxide of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and wherein said hydroxy-containing organic compound is a saccharide.
 8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is propylene oxide and wherein said saccharide is sucrose.
 9. The composition of claim 1 wherein one or more of the hydroxyl groups of said hydroxy-containing compound is a secondary hydroxyl group.
 10. the composition of claim 1 wherein said vicinal alkylene oxide is at least one of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, phenyl glycidyl ether or epichlorohydrin. 